Rugby background standing to Dooley

Laois hurling captain David Dooley says his rugby background is proving useful as he prepares for Sunday's Joe McDonagh Cup final.

The Rosenallis clubman played club rugby with Tullamore and Barnhall, and also played alongside Sam Prendergast and Paddy McCarthy as part of the Leinster Rugby sub-academy before returning to his hurling roots.

“There were some really good people involved in all the set-ups I was involved with. So I try to add value, then, from what I learned in the rugby world to the Laois set-up," the 22-year-old told reporters ahead of the final against Kildare.

“Small things, even like the professionalism involved in rugby. I would have been in and around lads who did that as their full-time jobs.

“The way they prepare for training, the way they prepare for games, the things they would have done outside of training is something I’ve probably tried to take from that mainly."